Apparatus for utilization of signal-currents for telegraphic, radio-telegraphic, or other purposes.



I POULSEN. APPARATUS FOR UTILIZATION OF SIGNAL CURRENTS FOR TELEGRAPHIC, RADIOTELEGRAPHIC.

OR OTHER PURPOSES.

APPLICATION men MAR. 5. 1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

I U ITED STATES PATi-rur car ies.

VALIDEMAR POULSEN, or FREDERIKSBERG, NEAR COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

APPARATUS FOR UTILIZATION or SIGNAL-CUERENTS r011 TELEGRAPI-IIC, RADIO- TELEGRAPHIC; OR OTHER PURPOSES.

Application filed March 5. 1915.

the influence of even but very weak currents.

The apparatus consists of a jet of some liquid whichmust have at least some conductivity for electricity and may con-ist of a strong or weak electrolyte or preferably of mercury or a liquid metaballoy, which in'some place, where it is still coherent and not dissolved into separate drops, is in contact with a substance which in connection with'the said liquid-jet forms a system con sisting of an electrolyte and an electrode, through which system the signal currents are led by means of another electrode. Va.- rious modifications of such an apparatus are diagrammatically shown in the drawing,

where- Figure 1 shows such an apparatus, in which the direction of a mercury-jet is altered by the alteration of the surface tension produced by the electrocapillary or electrolytic effect, and Fig. 2 another modification in which the electrolytic eft'ect causegfnn alteration of the length of the c.ohcrent part of a mercury-jet.

a designates a tube of glass or iron in which is found mercury I), which is under a suitable pressure and which produces a jet 0 of a diameter which is generally only a fractional part of a millimeter. The still coherent part of the jet touches a piece of glass (Z which is partly encompassed by a body of porous nature (carbon, bone or the like) which in some suitable manner is kept.

moistened with 1 some electrolyte, for instance a. soluti'on of causticpotasb. Around the other. In case no potential difference Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. T711916.

Serial No. 12.286. I

due to the signal currents is found between the mercury and the wire 7'', it is presumed that the mercury jct assumes the position shown in dotted lilies. As soon as an alteration in the potential dillcrcnce between the wire 7 and thcmercury arises owing tothe signal currents, the onsequence will be that the shape of the coherent part of the mercury jet is altered so that the jet is bent aside, for instance to the. position shown in full lines; The mercury drops will here impinge upon a light angl lever g which is pivoted at it and is actuated by 2 spring Zn The angle lever is by mains ot a link 1 directly mechanically connected with the siphon pen in and one arm of the lever plays between stops 'H, as shown. The glass piece (I can be adjusted in relation to the jet (1, and the jet can hereby be bent to one side or the other without the sensitivity thereby undergoing any essential alteration. The intensity of the currents required tor giving such a jet the. necessary alteration of direction is extremely small. (it course the amount of energy in the jet can be utilized for signaling in other manners than that shown by way of example. The jet may for instance be. caused to close and interrupt. contacts. The lever and one oi the stops "it can thus be used as contact. making parts.

the signal currents when these latter are conducted so as to pass through the mercury jet and also through a. ring shaped moistened piece (at bone. terracotta or the like material when such piece is in a certain proximity to the jet. The structure embodying this application of the principle of the invention includes a tube (1 containing a collection of mercury 1. Around the constricted lower end oi the tube is arranged a ring shaped moistened piece 0 oi? bone or the like. Of course. even with the piece absent the mercury jet. descending vertically through the opening in the lower end of the tube, breaks up into separate drops at a point some distance below the opening. This point where the cohesion of the. jet ceases, depends, as is well known, upon the surface tension of the jet as compared with the molecular cohesion characteristic of the material of which the jet is coi'nposed that is, the element mercury,

and also upon the velocity of the jet. The signal circuit here includes the wire Q, the collection of n'iercury b, the piece 0, and the wire r. The local .circuit includes the collection of mercury b, the contact 7'), and the wire which joins the collection of mercury and the contact, this circuit being closed when the coherent part oi the jet is intersected by the contact 7). This contact is fixed and is preferably given such a delicate adjustment that when the coherent part of the jet is at the maxin'uun, the contact just touches the lower end of the coherent part of the jet. As explained, each signal. current in the signal circuit causes the coherent part ol the jet to vary its length. Thus, during the passage of signal currents through the signal circuit, the jet and the contact y) will. alternately open and. close the local circuit in which the latter is interposed. The local circuit has a battery B therein, and when such circuit is closed current from the bat tery will flow through a relay R also in the local circuit. At each surge of current througlrtlm relay, the latter may operate in any one of various ways to make or cause the making 01 a suitable record, as, "for in stance, by means of an auxiliary circuit, unillustrated, but adapted to be opened or closed by an operation of the relay and in turn actuating a suitable recording means.

\Vhilc in the shown modifications the mercury mass proper is used for admission of the signal currents as direct positive or negative electrode, the mercury et may also form an intermediate electrode, so that the mer cury jet will be di fi ercntly acted upon on two opposite ,sides.

The apparatus can work with direct current as well as with alternating current, and under certain circumstances it may be answering the purpose to superposc a. constant or alternating potential ditl'erence over the electrodes.

llaving now described my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed what I clain' and desire to secure by Letters Patent in U. S. A. is:

1. ln apparatus for receiving electric signals, a jet of electrically conductive liquid, electrolytic means resoonsive to the signals and effective upon reception thereot' to alter the jet of liquid, and receiving means responsive to the alteration of the to render the signals apparentq nal currents, the con'ibination 01i a. jet of liquid, and means "for imparting to the said liquid varying electric potentials which vary in accordance with the signal currents to cause the jet to alter its shape.

In apparatus for utilizing electric signal currents, the combination of a jet of liquid, means for llllpflltll'lg to the said liquid varying electric potentials which vary in accordance with the signal currents to cause the jet to, alter its shape, and recording means operated by such alteration of the jet.

6. An apparatus for utilizing electric signal currents including a liquid jet'and a physically innnovahle electrically functioning mains tor subjecting the jet to the inlluence of signal currents to cause the jet to enter into and out of contact with said means.

In testimony whereof I altixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALDEMAR IOULSEN. ll itnesses V IGGO BLOM, Cncm VlLiinLM SCIIO'N. 

